GET READY FOR MORE
Alberta clipper blowing in snow, but not as much as on Saturday
Right on the heels of this past weekend's winter storm comes a Alberta clipper promising more snow late Monday and Tuesday.
Just don't expect the 8-10 inches of snow that fell in Brainerd and Baxter on Saturday.
"Oh, heavens no. It will be nowhere near that," said Steve Wannebo, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth.
Instead, the weather service forecasted a 40 percent chance of snow Monday night, a 70 percent chance of snow Tuesday and a 50 percent chance of snow Tuesday night.
Total amount of snow - 3-6 inches.
Monday night the weather service issued a snow advisory effective from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday for Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing Morrison, Todd and Wadena counties, meaning travel will be difficult at times due to the snowfall. The weather service also increased the chance of snow on Tuesday to 90 percent.
Piled snow was blown into a waiting City of Brainerd truck Monday on 5th Street after the weekend storm. Eight inches of snow fell in Brainerd. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls » Purchase reprints of this photo.
Unlike Saturday's storm, which was fueled by warm air from the Gulf of Mexico, Tuesday's clipper will be accompanied by cold Canadian air. The forecast called for lows 2-7 degrees Monday night, highs 15-20 degrees Tuesday and lows 2-7 degrees Tuesday night.
Temperatures will be even colder toward the end of the week, with highs in the mid-teens and lows below zero. The average high in Brainerd for the week of Dec. 3 is 28 degrees, the average low is 7 degrees.
It has been four years since the Brainerd area received more than 10 inches of snow in late November or early December. On Nov. 23, 2003, the Brainerd area received 11 inches of snow. On Nov. 26-27, 2001, Brainerd received 11.5 inches of snow.
"The 2000-2001 snow season really was Minnesota's last 'real winter,'" said Greg Spoden, DNR climatologist. "It's probably the only one in the last 10 years where nearly all of Minnesota experienced a stereotypical winter."
Before the 2000-2001 winter season, Spoden said the last stereotypical winter was 1996-1997, the same year of the Red River Valley flooding.
For the 2002-2003, 2004-2005 and 2006-2007 snow seasons in Crow Wing County there was no snow cover in the last week of November and first week of December, according to the Minnesota Climatology Working Group. For the 2005-2006 season there was about 4 inches of snow cover in late November and early December.
"Early and enduring snow cover has been uncommon in the last decade," Spoden said. "This year is closer to what us who are a little longer in the tooth expect, which is snow on the ground before Thanksgiving."
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.